Monday, February 18, 2013

Do's & Don'ts For Relaxed Hair

Who says you can't have relaxed and healthy hair?? Well I'm here to tell you that you absolutely can! A relaxer will only damage your hair when you are not using them correctly or you fail to take care of your hair while you have one. One of the main reasons for this blog is to teach you how to take care of your own hair in between salon visits because I believe that your at home maintenance is just as important as your salon visits. Here are a few do's and don'ts when you choose to relax your hair.

Do's:

Only get your relaxer touch ups when there is at least two inches of new growth which is around eight weeks or more. You want to decrease any chance of overlapping and over-processing which causes severe damage.

Trim your ends regularly. Trimming your ends does not help your hair grow, but it does help you retain the length you already have because you are not allowing the split part to work its way up the hair shaft which results in you having to cut more.

Take it easy on the heat. Apply heat once a week or less to avoid damage.

Get protein and moisture treatments when needed. A proper balance of moisture and protein is what keeps hair healthy. To much of either will lead to breakage.

Eat a balanced diet. Eating a diet that includes lots of healthy foods, fruit, and vegetables does amazing things for your hair. When your diet is properly balanced, you don't have to work as hard with products to keep your hair healthy.

Drink your water! Majority of your dry hair and scalp problems can be solved by drinking at least 6 cups (48oz) of water DAILY! That's only about 2 1/2 20oz bottles a day which is not that much. Do this and your hair as well as your skin will reap the benefits. After all, water is the ultimate hydrator which is why all great quality products list it as the first ingredient on the back of the bottle. This means that the product has more water in it than any other ingredient. See more of the benefits of drinking water here.

Use only quality products. Don't be afraid to invest in good quality products for your hair. Avoid cheap products that are too harsh and often strip the hair. Remember, you get what you pay for! Don't get me wrong, great products don't always necessarily cost a fortune but do your research on potential products first and also see my list of recommended products to get you started.

Don'ts:

Don't get a touch up before 8 weeks. You need at least two inches of new growth to ensure no overlapping and most people's hair does not need it every 6 weeks. I personally go every 14-16 weeks in between touch ups. My goal is to only get 2-3 relaxers per year, and I have thick hair so if I can do it so can you!

Don't put your own relaxer in. A professional hairstylist is the most qualified person to put your relaxer in. Only let your trusted stylist handle all of your chemical services. Misuse will lead to damage and thinning of the hair.

Don't over manipulate your hair. Having a relaxer does make your hair slightly weaker so avoid being aggressive with it to avoid any unnecessary breakage.

Don't comb your hair while wet. The hair is most fragile when wet so handle with care! You definitely don't want to use a brush while wet unless it is a wet brush and always start from the ends and work your way up when detangling.

Don't use grease! Ohhh the dreaded "g" word. I know that some people swear by grease but I personally don't like it because it makes the hair so heavy. Also, your hair naturally makes its own oils so too much causes product build up. In order to have hair that flows you have to keep the extra products to a minimum.

4 comments

Hi LaToya, great tips. Keep'em coming! A little off topic but.....Since you hit it out of the park with the Milkshake leave in I went ahead and took the plunge and got the Onesta Moisturizing shampoo and conditioner as well. I have been using it for about a month and needless to say you hit another one out of the park.Thanks!

I Went to get a touch up Relaxer for my 9 yr. Old daughter, been 1 month since last wash, due to busy schedule of hair dresser. Got there and she said it's matted underneath relaxed hair, guess I missed that part. so she couldn't do anything, not even wash it! Need advice. Can I wash it, then add cantu butter to comb it? If not, I won't be able to comb it at all to get all the tangles out.please help? She said I can't get it wet at all or it will make it worse!

Need better hair products?

Try Silk Hydration hair products today!

Need Hair Extensions?

Try L. Jones Hair Collection

Welcome!

Follow

About Me

Welcome to the blog and thank you for stopping by! As a professional hairstylist and salon owner, I want to share my knowledge about hair with women who may not be able to get to the salon or to anyone who just wants to know more about their hair in general. I feel that every woman should be able to have great hair whether you can get to the salon or not! If you like what you read, please do not hesitate to subscribe to the blog.